Impact tool for making powder holes



Nov, 13, 1951 H. H. VAN PELT LMPACT TOOL FOR MAKING POWDER HOLES Filed May .'7. i948 INVENTOR. Harry h'. Van ,De/7L wf/ga Mh///// 19V/1 kw O ATTURNE Y Patented Nov. 13, 195i IMPACT TOOL FOR MAKING POWDER HOLES Harry H. Van Pelt, Eureka, Calif. Application May 7, 1948, Serial No. 25,717 l (Cl. Z55-5) 4 Claims.

`'Ihe present invention relates to improvements in an impact tool for making a powder hole, commonly referred to as a powder iron, and its principal object is to provide a tool of the character described to facilitate the driving of a hole underneath a tree stump for accommodation of a charge of powder.

More particularly it is proposed in the present invention to provide a unitary tool in which the driven ,element and the drive element are combined in such a manner that the drive element is guided by the driven element and forms a-relatively simple unit therewith.

It is further proposed to provide a tool of the character described in which the drive element is arranged for easy manipulation by a person of suitable height regardless of the length of the driven elementv projecting above the earth surface.

It is further proposed to provide a tool of the character described in which means are provided for facilitating the removal of the tool by loosenng the same with respect to the earth wall and also by providing a structure in which the drive means may be used for driving the driven member in the opposite direction.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

- The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l shows a longitudinal section through my impact tool, portions beingbroken away, and other portions being shown in elevation,

Figure 2, a transverse section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a transverse section taken' along line 3-3 of Figure 1, and l Figure 4, a transverse section taken along line 4 4 of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form `of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes and modifications may be made Within the scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my impact tool comprises in its principal features a tube I, a plunger 2 slidable in the tube and a Weight 3 formed integral with the plunger and projecting beyond the upper end of the tube for driving the latter into the earth surface when the weight is dropped from a raised position. The upper end of the tube has a sleeve 4 tightly fitted therein,

and `the sleeve terminates, above the tube, in a heavy shoulder 5 bearing upon the upper end of the tube and offering a relatively larg-e striking -base I5 for the weight 3. The sleeve d forms a shoulder 'I on the inside of the tube, and the plunger 2 is provided with a cooperating shoulder 8 at its bottom end for striking the shoulder 'I on an upward thrust of the weight 3, for loosening th-e tool.

The weight 3 is cylindrical in form and has a transverse hole 9 for receiving the horizontal portion IIJ of a handle. lIhe handle turns at a relatively sharp angle to present an operating shank II running substantially parallel to the tube I. It will be noted that the shank I I may be swung from the position shown in Figure 1 to a reverse position in which it projects upwardly beyond 'the weight.

The plunger 2 may be locked to the tube I by means of a pin I2 mounted upon a spring I3 secured upon the shoulder 5 by means of screws I4. The tube I and the plunger 2 have registering holes I5 and It adapted to be broug-ht in registry and to be engaged by the pin I2 for locking the tube with respect to the plunger. The pin I2 may be disengaged by merely lifting it out of the hole I6 and by turning the plunger to bring the hole I6 out of registry with the hole I5.

The lower end of the tube is formed with a solid pointed head Il, a portion I3 of which is firmly anchored in the tube. The tube has a plurality of ns I9 mounted longitudinally upon the outer surface thereof and extending preferably substantially from end to end. These ns are used to facilitate the working loose of the tool upon completion of the drivingI operation.

The manner of using the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The length of the tool is preferably between 6 and 8 feet, and it is principally intended for driving powder holes underneath a tree stump. In beginning the operation, the operator rst selects a likely spot adjacent the tree stump from which the tool may be driven into the ground surface at an angle, and then sets the point Il on said spot, with the tool held at an angle directed substantially toward the axis of the tree stump. With the pin I2 disengaged, the operator lthen lifts the weight 3 by means of the handle shank I I and allows the weight lto drop upon the shoulder 6 for drivingthe tool into the ground surface. This operation is repeated until the desired depth has been obtained.

While at the beginning of the operation the tool may extend some 6 or 8 feet above the ground surface and it is convenient to operate th-e weight with the shank handle in a downwardly projecting position, when the tool is about 3 or 4 feet down the operator will find it more convenient to turn the handle shank I l through an angle of about 180 which will bring it again to convenient height for the operator to manipulate.

After the tool has been driven to the desired depth the next problem is to remove the same. This task is greatly facilitated by the provision of the pin l2 for locking the tube to the plunger and by the provision of the outside fins. After the pin I2 has been engaged the operator merely turns the weight back and forth by suitable operation of the handle Il thus causing the ns I9 to work against the earth wall Ysurrounding the tool and loosening the latter. After the tool has thus been loosened it will be comparatively easy to remove the same, but if it is still hard to start the removal movements the operator may readily initiate such movements by thrusting the weight 3 upv/ard by means of the handle shank Il which will cause the plunger head 8 to impinge upon the shoulder 1 for driving the tool in an upward direction.

The hole 9 for accommodating the horizontal portion ll) of the handle may be shaped in such a manner as to allow the bent portion of the handle to be pulled therethrough and to bring the shank Il in horizontal position which would somewhat facilitate the turning movement.

I claim:

l. An impact tool for making a powder hole, comprising a tube having a lower end adapted for driving into the ground surface, a plunger within the tube for driving the same and having a weight on its upper end outside the tube, a handle projecting sidewise from the weight, ns arranged lengthwise upon the outside of the tube to permit the tube to be loosened with respect to the earth wall when the tube is turned in a back and forth movement, the plunger being normally revolvable in the tube and having a recess in the side thereof, and the tube having a spring-actuated pin slidable in the wall thereof and engageableY in the recess for interlocking the tube and 'the plungerto allow the former to be turned by operation of the plunger handle.

2. An impact tool for making a powder hole, comprising a tube having a lower end adapted for driving into the ground surface, a sleeve tightly fitted in the upper end of the tube and having a shoulder bearing on the outer end of the tube, a plunger slidable within the tube and having a weight at its outer end for driving the tube when the weight strikes the shoulder, a handle projecting sidewise from the weight, ns arranged lengthwise upon the outside of the tube to permit the tube to be loosened with respect to the earth wall when the tube is turned, the plunger being normally revolvable in the tube and having a recess in the side thereof, and a leaf spring mounted uponnthe outerlface of the shoulder and having a pin projecting through the wall of the tube so as to bear `on'tlie plunger, the pin being engageable in the recess when vbrought into registry therewith for interlocking the tube and the plunger to cause the sleeve to turn with the plunger when the latter is turned by means of its handle.

2. An impact tool for making a powder hole, comprising a tube having a lower end adapted for driving into the ground surface, a sleeve tightly tted in the upper end of the tube and having a shoulder bearing on the outer endv of the tube, a plunger slidable within the tube, a weight on the outer end of the plunger and adapted to strike the shoulder for driving the tube into the ground surface, and a plunger head on the inner end of the plunger and adapted to strike the sleeve for driving the tube out of vthe ground surface.

4. An impact tool for making a powder hole, comprising a tube having a lower end adapted for driving into the ground surface, a sleeve tightly fitted in the upper end of the 'tube and having a shoulder bearing on the outer vend of the tube, a plunger slidable within the tube, a weight on the outer end of the plunger and adapted to strike the shoulder for driving the tube into the ground surface, and a plunger head on the inner end of the plunger and adapted to strike the sleeve for driving the tube out of the ground surface, the shoulder having means mounted thereon for interlocking the r`tube 'and the plunger.

HARRY H. VAN'PELT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references `are 'of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dat'e 52,292 Jung Jan. l80, `1866 1,866,943 Simmons July 12,1932 1,899,728 Sandstone Feb. 28, Y1933 2,067,890 Collord Jan. l19. 1937 2,086,213 Collord July 6,1193? 2,147,828 Daniels Feb. 21, 19'39 

